1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools and more particularly to an insertion tool for fittings or sprinkler heads used in irrigation systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Irrigation systems, particularly drip emitter irrigation systems have become increasingly more popular over the years because of their water savings potential, in arid or water short parts of the world. These drip and other irrigation systems require that fittings or sprinkler heads be inserted into the conduit, hose, pipe or the like, which is used to carry water in the system, at specific locations, depending on how and where the irrigation systems are used. The exact location of the fittings or sprinkler heads on the water carrying hose is very important, to ensure that the items to be watered, such as plants, trees and vines, receive the required amount of moisture. Therefore, to aid in the accurate insertion of irrigation fittings into various systems, insertion means, including specific tools have been developed and used. Again, these known irrigation systems and fitting insertion means may take a variety of forms, usually limited to or dependant upon the specific application and/or system being used.
One type of drip emitter system that is now widely used, because of, among other things, its low flow rate and adjustable flow control features, is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,743. The disclosure of this U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,743 is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by this reference thereto. The particular flow control devices or fittings disclosed in this patent have substantially frustroconical heads, with sharpened end points, that may be forced through the sidewall of a conduit or supply hose made from flexible material. However, it has been found that problems arise in attempting to accurately place and then try to force these flow control devices through the sidewalls of hoses when only using one's fingers, or any currently available or known tool, such as a pair of pliers. Therefore, their exists an urgent need in the art, particularly for installers or users of such drip irrigation systems, for an easily manufactured tool that may be conveniently used to quickly and expeditiously insert fittings, in desired locations, in a drip irrigation system.
Although some tools for inserting flow control devices are known, they usually consist of a wrench or the like to thread a fitting into a hole formed in a water carrying conduit or pipeline. One such prior art tool is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,831, which discloses a tee shaped tool having a free end of its stem formed into a socket with a hexagonal formation and an extension to receive a sprinkler head. The cross bar of the tee has a sharpened end or spike that is used to form holes into which sprinkler heads are first inserted and then screwed into position by the socket of the tee. This tool, however, is limited in its application or use to the specific sprinkler heads disclosed in this patent, and cannot be modified for use with flow control devices or fittings of other systems which do not have hexagonal heads and threaded bodies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,339, discloses a further tool for inserting fittings into an irrigation system and includes a pair of elongated tongs which are used as pinchers to hold and to force a fitting, having a piercing point, into a water carrying conduit. However, the tool of this patent is awkward to use and is also only useful for inserting the specifically shaped fittings disclosed in this patent, and is not adapted to be modified for use with other fittings, not having the same shape.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have provided some limited improvements and overcome some of the problems encountered when trying to insert fittings into irrigation systems, they are limited in application, and are too complex or expensive to manufacture for use in other situations. Therefore, after many attempts to solve the problems of devising an insertion tool which may be cheaply and easily manufactured for use in connection with the accurate insertion of irrigation fittings into a water carrying conduit or hose, in various settings and under different working conditions, there still exists the need for a simple, easy to transport and use, low-cost insertion tool for irrigation fittings.